Sunday, 11 May 2014

It's been over a year since I last made something for Flo. Other people's kids, yes, but my own? Shamefully, no. So with the winter well and truly over I wanted something just for her and something that said 'Spring' and this was it. The pattern is called Maytime by Kim Hargreaves. I'd had it in my queue for ages and the lemon yarn had been staring at me from my stash for some time too. So the need for a spring knit, the long-saved pattern and zesty yarn converged together at the right time for this knit.

What kept the pattern in my queue for so long was the mix of crochet and knitting in this garment. I don't do a lot of crochet. I always think of it being too structured and thick for clothing, which is the bulk of what I like to make. But I think the granny square hem and picot edging on this is just the right balance when blending the two skills.

My mission was to finish it in time for May, almost purely for the name of it. I finished it last weekend and Flo wore it out after a quick blocking. Of course after that one day of wear Flo had managed somehow to get what looked like soot all down the front of it. I have no idea when or where she was climbing up chimneys. And something red on the sleeve. Was it a sweet? Lolly? Blood? I have no idea what this kid gets up to when I'm not looking. So at the end of the day it needed another wash, which isn't ideal as this yarn has both angora and cashmere in it. Really, what was I thinking?

In summary, I'm more than pleased with how this little spring time cardi came out, but not hopeful for its ongoing survival.

PS: Flo has her fingers in her ears in the top photo because the Mr. was doing loud DIY at the time. Classic bank holiday sounds.

Sunday, 4 May 2014

I haven't knitted myself a proper jumper in a long time. Trawling Ravelry I found the Papillon pattern and fell in love. Truth be told I don't usually wear jumpers with such a high neckline as it can make my boobs look like a shelf, but there was something about this design that just made me not care. Also this was a paid for pattern, which cost me about £3.95. I'd never usually pay for patterns and usually just search for the free ones, but this was just too nice to click away from.

It was a top down construction which was satisfying and useful to try on as I went. As with some other knitted tops I've made lately I have had to make the waist shaping more pronounced to fit me properly and I think this helped with the 'boob shelf' issue. The central pattern wasn't too hard to master and although I may have slipped up a few times it wasn't too difficult to fix as I went.

Of course I have finished it at the wrong time of year, just as the weather begins to turn. But I did manage to wear it to the beach over Easter weekend and my lovely photographer friend James took these pictures for me. Poses are courtesy of moi, I wouldn't blame such things on him. The weather was perfect newly knitted jumper weather; sunny, chill in the air, a bit blowy and threatening showers.

This will now be packed away till more suitable weather in Autumn when I will be excited to wear it, but probably not to the beach again.